BT Bodysculpt 6 Week Blitz

Ok...So here we are midway through 2012 and I have experienced a three week vacation to the USofA, as well as taken on a new job role. Accordingly, I haven't looked after myself as much as I could have and I certainly enjoyed the Pale Ales and IPA's available in America.

To that end, I have joined up with a group of Bodytrim Legends and devotees, to smash out a six week Blitz on Bodysculpt, to drop the kilos gained and to get me back into the shape that I want to be, as per picture above taken mid-2011.

Current weight is 92.9 and Body Fat is 21.6% and I look forward to sharing my results as I progress. It has now been a week without a beer and 42 days to go, before I have my next.

If you want to jump on board, just throw me a line.

Cheers
Curly

Xmas Excess

Image: luigi diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Christmas has not been kind to me and the scales have shown that I am at my heaviest that I have been for over 2 years. Over 89kg, and while I certainly enjoyed myself, I acknowledge that I feel I have let myself down.

I am ready to focus from Mid-January, when I return from holidays and then I need to be more disciplined once I have churned through the additional weight.

I could use excuses......I changed stores, my mum passed away, I lost a lot of close things through some personal dramas.....but at the end of the day, no excuses for being unhealthy.

I will use this blog to maintain my focus and live up to what I say I will. I will also use the Bodytrim forum to post results. It is simply about getting some discipline back into my life, and look out for number 1.

Follow my progress here.

Almost There!

Can I just say, I enjoy the path that I have chosen. I look forward to my exercise sessions daily, and even enjoy getting up at 4.30 to get a 30 minute walk in every morning. I understand what food I can eat without gain and how much. And all of this due to the education that Bodytrim has given me.

Take today for example. Walked in the morning, did a small boxing session in the afternoon followed by a walk, and after SIX AFD's, am currently sitting here enjoying a beer and looking forward to the Qld Derby League Game with the Cowboys hosting the Broncos on Friday Night Footy.

And what makes it even better....knowing that I have been very good and continuing the good work that I have been doing. You can enjoy life, and do the right thing for yourself. Show some discipline and you can enjoy the fruits of your work. Enjoy your weekend...Go the Dragons and the Hawks and see you all next week.

Time for a Refocus

On of the things I have been very conscious of during the emotional roller coaster of re-opening my store, was to ensure I catered for the time, when the adrenalin would stop and normality would return to some degree. I stand before you today, to simply state that I haven't done this as well as I expected. To be 100% honest, I have returned to my old ways of having a beer most nights to get that buzz and energy, that was so obvious during our rebuild.

The difference is today, I can recognise that it must stop, and my two weeks of fun, now have to be replaced by a resolve and a desire to get my life back. Also adding to the mix, was an addition to my emotional life, an addition that helped me get through some stuff, but an addition that is now proving to be counterproductive. As they say in the classics, you have to know when to walk away, and that is what I am going to do.

Today is, Draw the Line in the sand day, as I refocus on me. I have allowed others and events to dictate my path, and today is the clear vision day. For the remainder of this week, there will be no alcohol drunk. For the remainder of this week, I will return to my nutritional base of Three Meals and Three Snacks. I will get my exercise in daily and return to my resistance workouts.

Once back to normal, my son and I are going to do a Bodysculpt challenge over a six week period. Starting the following Tuesday. My wife has also vowed to join in, except I know that a hardcore No carb process of Bodyscuplt, will leave her desperately short of food options, however if I can get her into resistance workouts will be of benefit.

So in a nutshell, I lost focus, nutritionally, emotionally and physically and today is the day I kick-start again. The damage isn't great, but if I can drop five kilograms over the next six weeks, I certainly won't be mourning their loss.



Image: Sura Nualpradid / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I've Done all the Dumb Things

Paul Kelly sung about it and Tony Curl lives it. Don't you hate it when you misread a situation, start making some steps and plans in one direction.....only to have the full facts slapped in your face and an about face is needed. Sometimes I guess that is life.....

Once upon a time, I would have gone home and downed a few beers to "reflect" on the decision, and attempt to erase it from my mind. I cope better with this nowadays, I jumped on the treadmill and pumped out a quick 4km to clear my mind, and refocus.

This is what being healthy does for me.....It is easier to cope with life when you are physically healthier and this allows you to be stronger mentally. Try it....

Tomorrow is the SuperBowl

I have a couple of special days during the year and the NFL SuperBowl is one of them. I have certainly been looking after myself since my return from holidays, so I have planned a bit of a blow-out tomorrow and really looking forward to having some Nachos..... Outside of that, the beer is cold and some protein snacks have been arranged. So just who will win? My tip is for the Green Bay Packers to defeat the Steelers....But this is the SuperBowl

Routine Starts to Kick In

Last week, I posted the changes in my life incurred through the flooding of the store. Over the sixteen days since arriving back at work, I have worked fourteen, including twelve straight. I actually feel really good, and the energy levels currently are good. The mind is clear and the focus is sharp.

In some ways, a routine is starting to settle in, with very early morning walks and an evening walk, both with my wife who is kick-starting back into her Bodytrim lifestyle. Nutrition is good, and close to very good actually...very focused on eating right. During the cleanup, salvage and rebuild operation, we are likely to hit some goals and deadlines that need to be celebrated and my time for a beer will be limited to those times. This is not the time to let the job overwhelm me, but the fitter and better I feel, the better my work will be.

Team, I hope you are all having a great start to 2011, and that you are well on your way to kicking your goals.

How Things Change!!!!

My last post, talked about the optimism and plans for 2011. Early in January they were waylaid, by a little thing called the Brisbane River...or more specifically it's tributary, the Oxley Creek. The photo above is the store I manage, and with the January 2011 floods, flooded inside to a level just over 2.1m.

I was on holidays in Yamba at the time and funnily enough flooded in by the mighty Clarence River, so while nothing that I could have done would have saved the place, it was more than a feeling of uselessness sitting some 300km south. Needless to say, a lot of beer was drunk.

Needless to say, I was shocked to see the damage that water can do to a big hardware shop like mine. Our cleanup and rebuild is underway and I have a hectic couple of months ahead. We expect to re-open in March.

Finally, I started my carb detox today. When I was being updated in Yamba, every time I was told not to worry and to have a beer. Advice I took. I have gained a few kilos and it is time to tart again. Many thoughts in my head on whether I can stay compliant during the next few months, but believe that at least when I can control my food, I should. Stay tuned for further updates.

Brilliant Stuff Bacchus

Regular visitors to this site know that I get my beer brewed for me at Bacchus Brewery. Bacchus was actually bought by the crew that own Craft Brewer. Now with any long term business relationship it has taken a while to cement new relationships as Ross and the craft brewing team moved in to our little brewery.

Can I just say, that this is an amazing thing to have happened. Craft Brewer have really lifted the ideals of the place. We now have a greater choice than ever as these guys are Brewers. My mate Stu got them to knock off the Stone and Wood Draught Ale, and it is a cracker. I myself, ordered a knockoff of Little Creatures Bright Ale and it is a ripsnorter. I reckon these guys can do anything.

So if you live in Brisbane and need some mighty ales brewed by a profesional crew, then get down to Bacchus/Craft Brewery. Legends through and through.

Beer doesn’t make you fat, ignorance does

 

Reposted from Australian Brews News - Matt Kirkegaard

A new survey released by VicHealth shows that Australian beer drinkers continue to fall for the myth that low carb beers are a healthier choice than other varieties.
The report says the survey was undertaken because “nutritionists and alcohol experts have long suspected that low carb drinkers choose these products for supposed health benefits – primarily for weight management.”
The results contradict the official positions of many low carb beer producers which is that people drink these beers primarily for the flavour.
This research, the first of its kind, sought to discover the reason behind the low carb beer craze and ultimately, whether the ‘low carb’ label creates the false impression that it is a healthier choice.
It found that:

That Time of Year

This time of year can seriously derail the most disciplined people around. This week for example I have lunches and breakys and dinners all happening this week alongside two Christmas drinks episodes. It really is hard to avoid situations like these, but the best advice that I can provide is that you know what you have been educated on, you know the dangers of over consuming. So here are my tips.

• Stick to protein with any meals and stay away from the "beige" (The deep fried stuff)
• Ensure you drink plenty of water both before the events and during. Having a drink, then having a wate is a good way to stay in control.
• Set your limits, and stick to them.
• Increase your "activity" between events.
• Stay Positive and don't beat yourself up.

Hope everyone enjoys this time of year. It doesn't need to be the time that adds kilo to your waistline. A little bit of discipline combined with a little bit of enjoyment, will ensure that when Christmas is over and you are facing 2011, we do that with renewed vigour.

Why Do Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers?

beer, drin

Why Do Heavy Drinkers Outlive Nondrinkers?

A very Interesting Article from Time Magazine. Moderate Drinkers have the best life expectancy...Hope that you find this interesting

The Christmas Party Season Begins

Tonight I have the first of a relentless wave of Christmas Party. It is our State Christmas Party which is a big affair, and is always under a theme, and this year it is a sporting theme. Work Christmas parties are always dangerous! You may drink to much and make a fool of yourself, or even worse do a David Jones (LOL).  I made my decision some time back, that I would drive to the party and drink nothing stronger than water. I have a breakfast meeting the day after, but it just makes so much sense to stay alert and aware, rather than fuzzy and dazed. It certainly won't hurt my current sprint into Christmas either, and I don't want to lose the momentum behind the first week's detox weight loss. I have a goal in mind of where I want to be at the end of this week and I want to be there.

The Weekend is Near

Whatever your plans are for the weekend, I hope everyone has a great one. This weekend I have family up and they are here in somewhat sad times as we have a serious cancer within the family leading to surgery next week. My plans are to have an alcohol free weekend this weekend, and to start next week back at work as fresh as a daisy. Hope you all have a great weekend. Cheers

Using the Tools

I am starting to build a huge knowledge base around health and well-being. Bodytrim gave me success, Sweet Poison gave me even more information on the dangers of sugar and sweeteners, while I have also been reading up on calorie counting. Some of the knowledge base conflicts with others, and that is where your own best judgement comes in.

I follow a moderate protein and low carb regime. By it's nature this means low sugar. So I already live in the Sweet Poison world, to a large degree. David Gillespie in Sweet Poison Quit Plan, places the blame squarely on sugar, and the disruptive impacts this has on our own control mechanisms. Our body has perfectly good control functions that tell us when we have had enough to eat, and based on this, David suggests that almost everything can be eaten as long as it doesn't contain sugar or more specifically fructose. We will regulate intake. I like this in theory, but my concern would be that we have been over-riding these mechanisms for years, so I am not sure I can trust myself.

It is suggested that pies and beer are OK for us within the Sweet Poison Quit Process. I love both of these, but do I trust myself and my own control mechanisms. Not on your life. So where does this leave me.

I will continue my predominately Bodytrim way of eating, but will largely remove all sugar (fructose) and sweeteners from my diet. I will maintain focus on at least four Alcohol Free Days, and still have a larger carbohydrate day over the weekends. Doing this will be achievable and sustainable and couple with daily walks and resistance exercises, should allow me to lead a energetic Life.

More on Sweet Poison

After completing David Gillespie's Sweet Poison: Why Sugar is Making Us Fat I chased up his next book, The Sweet Poison Quit Plan.  Now the knowledge that David provides is exceptional, as he battles through the different types of sugars, and also the effects that Artificial Sweeteners have. It has opened my eyes up on a number of fronts especially in the INGREDIENTS panels on the food we eat. I was taught through Bodytrim, to read and analyse the Nutritional panel on each of the foods we consume. So in many ways, I was already living a low sugar lifestyle, due to the low carb lifestyle. What David has now taught me, is to read the ingredients as well, as they list up some of the more harmful "sugar substitutes" like Sorbitol. To my shock, the "sugar free" gum and mints that I have become accustomed to chewing and munching on, was having a similar effect as what fructose would have on me.....One again, all I can suggest is read the book, David writes in a practical way, tinged with humour. It is easy reading and nothing to be scared of. Worst case scenario, is it provides you with more knowledge than what you had before.

The sugar in beer is maltose, which does metabolise to Glucose, so it is OK. Just don't drink a dozen schooners every day...and maybe just stick to my golden rule, of at least four AFD's a week, preferably five.

Some more links to check out.

Sweet Poison Web Site
Sweet Poison Facebook
Sweet Poison Forums

Vinyl Room

Saturday Night saw us relive our youth, with a great night we simply called THE VINYL ROOM. Basically yours truly, got out his old Vinyl and DJ console and spun the discs for family and friends. Here is some of the evidence.

DJ Curly T!!!

A great night was had by all, and it wasn't too bad from a food and beer perspective. My first little blow out in the two weeks since the Dragons became the Premiers, but well worth it. This weekend will see me take my beautiful wife away for a weekend, and looking forward to just chillin.Hope this finds everyone good, fighting fit and healthy.
I was asked to have a look at the new BODYTRIM+ program, and quite honestly it is a massive improvement in the program. A greater variety of food, and a very slick production will make sure that this will inspire many thousands of prospective BTers. Visit the Bodytrim website for more details.

Cheers, Curly

Stop-Start process

The AFL Grand Final is this weekend and the following week the NRL Grand Final. Like most blokes, I enjoy having a beer and watching great footy. So the good work being done during the week, is being blown by a bit of a cavalier attitude on the weekend. The scales don't like me at the moment, as I have added muscle from my resistance workouts but also parked some extra kilos around the waistline. My weeks have been good, but to blow away the extra weight, I know I need to be extra good for a couple of weeks. After the NRL GF, I have a couple of events and if I can limit my non-compliance to just these days, I should be fine. While I got down to 79.2kgs, after the February Bodysculpt challenge, my new frame suggests that my ideal weight will be 83-84kg. The Target is set and now it is just a matter of getting a strong mind and good routine to deliver. End of November is the time frame, and with just over 3kgs to lose, I am feeling confident. If I can trim down further to 81-82kgs, I will be wrapt.

Enjoy the finals and lets do this thing together.

First Day of My Blog

The motivation to achieve something in life is strong. Day 1 of my new blog and I am back up at 4.30, drinking some black coffee and just about to hit a Resistance Bands session. After that it will be a 30 minute walk so my day should be a great one with all the exercise and activity out of the way. Get ready for work, then breakfast...then I can start my day.

Welcome to my Blog

Hi and welcome to Curly's Blog. Hopefully you will find this place on the net a positive one and one that helps you find your way. Please take your time, Read MY STORY, check out my pics and read about my favourite beers.

Please feel free to post comments and any question you may have.